We had a recent thread in the general forum discussing parks. Fenway was brought up which is a park I'd love to visit one day!

However, we were able to see the Tigers play the Twins at Comerica Park yesterday. For folks that have never been here, it's an awesome experience! The simple fact of the season that the Tigers are enjoying brings such excitement to the fans that it is contagious and enjoyable!

Comerica Park is such a combination of modern architecture while honoring the past. There are Tigers EVERYWHERE! A water feature in outfield that is one of my favorites from any park - beats smoke or loud firecracker sounds any day!

The park was easy to get to and we parked almost at the front door! I think the Tigers and the Twins are now two of my favorite teams!

We're off to see the Braves/Brewers at the end of the week!!!

Anyone have a favorite park or ballpark experience?

lafmom,
Are you on one of those bus trips that goes to a different ball parks? My dad and I have always wanted to do that but we can't convince my mom to go.

Anyway, the best ball park I've ever been to has to be PNC. I'm not just saying that because I'm a pirate fan, it is a really nice ball park. But my best MLB experience would be and Pirate City, their training facility. I was standing by the bullpen trying to pick up some thing that they were helping the catchers with. I learned a few drills and stuff I can do at home. Most of you won't know who this is but, Paul Chiaffredo walks by and I ask for and autograph and we started talking. Paul is a AAA catcher. He didn't have anything to do for about 15-20 min so he hat time to chat. We were talking about catching and techniques and stuff. When we got to plays at the plate, I asked "what do I do when there is a runner coming home and he obviously wants to take my head off?" He smiled and said, "Well first you want to make sure and catch the ball. Put it in your throwing hand so at contact it won't pop out, but still keep both hands in the glove. Then just get low...and....hope for the best!" I got a kick out of that. Even after that he would recognize me at the games and practices and he would say "hello". I thought it was awesome that a Pro ball player knows my name. I got a Jason Kendall bat from him the year before. He's a nice guy. Good defensive catcher but his hitting still needs to improve.

-Kevin

Kevin, That's a great story! Players like Paul make the game that much more special, don't they!

I'm on vacation this week and my kids and I just decided to do a couple of trips.... the one to Comerica and one to Turner field. We've always wanted to visit some parks, but schedule has always prevented it. It's been tough to get these two in because of daughter's volleyball!

Anyway, my kids had been to Busch Stadium where son got to play, so that was a special memory. We've all been to Tropicana Field which is a dome and that made it a unique experience for us. Nice place though! Great American Ballpark (Cincy) is beginning to pale tremendously compared to some of these other experiences - very generic really.

Perhaps we'll be able to do Fenway and could visit PNC at the same time one year. I have heard that PNC is a fantastic place!

I have not really been to that many. Jacobs Field here in Cleveland of course is very nice. Been to Camden Yards,and it is extremely nice inside and outside the park. Been to old Cleveland Stadium and Pittsburgh Three Rivers Stadium and neither were exceptional. Would love to visit PNC Park one of these days.

The Captains Ball Park here in Lake County is for the Indians Minor League affiliate and is a lovely place to watch a game. The Dragons Ball minor league Park in Dayton is also very nice.

Have fun on your trip!!!

I'm not sure if I have a favorite ballpark, I'll have to think about that. But I do have some neat memories.

- Camden Yards: I was at the game when the Orioles hosted the dreaded Red Sox and the game went into extra innings and finally ended in the 19th. We had good seast to begin with but ended up in the 3rd row by the on-deck circle by the end of the game.

- Yankee Stadium: I'm a big fan and the first time I went I literally had goosbumps as I crossed the bridge and a tear as I walked up to the stadium.

- Yankee Stadium: I was there for the huge brawl against the Orioles and got a foul ball of Tino Martinez'

- Municipal Stadium (old Cleveland stadium): I went to a game with my neighbor who's father knew former Cleveland player Buddy Bell. During a rather long rain delay, we worked our way through the throng of some 3,000 fans ( )and wandered down to their dugout and somebody went and got Buddy for us to say "hi". Before you knew it, about half the team was out chit-chatting with us.

- Yankee Stadium: Took the family for a trip to NY in 2001 and sat in the 2nd row of the upper deck, 1st base side by home plate. It was kind of fun to watch the foul balls come up, some making it high enough and others didn't....yes I'm easily ammused.

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Yankee Stadium: I'm a big fan and the first time I went I literally had goosbumps as I crossed the bridge and a tear as I walked up to the stadium

Beez - Don't quite understand that emotion over seeing the Yankees! Seriously, it's amazing what making these baseball memories can mean to us!!

At Great American this spring our seats were right by the Reds bullpen and that was interesting. At Comerica this week, we had the front row right by the RF foul pole. Son just knew we'd get a foul ball, but not a single thing came near us! So, I understand your kind of amusement!

Let's see. I made it to Crosley Field [Reds] before it was torn down and the old Pittsburgh Field [Forbes?} before it was torn down; both when I was a teenager. Good memories of the games but not the "park" itself. I have watched baseball at the new Reds field and the new Pirates field and am not that impresed [feels like I should be watching a football game].

Two ball parks I highly recommend are Camden Yards {Baltimore} and Fenway Park; for entirely different reasons. Camden Yards is a well planed mordern BASEBALL park. They have great seats almost everwhere you sit, great food and places you can stand and watch the game and not bother anyone. It is just a great place to go to watch a game.

However, Fenway Park is where it is at. The nostalgiac atmosphere upon arrrival is almost overwhelming and that feeling never really leaves you even after the game begins. You watch a game where Babe Ruth, Tris Speaker, Ted William, Carl Yastrimski, and so many other great player played and you somehow strangely "feel" their presence during the game. And the Red Sox fans are great. Of all the parks I have been to, if I had to choose one for the "baseball expereince" it would be Fenway.

TW344

Didn't really think I had been to that many stadiums until I started to look back.

1st game went to Griffith Stadium to see the Senators play the Yankees. Very hazy recollections but believe I saw Mantle hit a home run against Camilio Pasqual.

Most of the rest of the recollections are hazy for a different reason.

RFK Stadium multiple times. Drinking age in DC at the time was 18, cheap seats in the bleachers working the beer vendor very hard.

Memorial Stadium Baltimore day game old enough to drink in Maryland. No clue who played.

Camden yards, great stadium. Company I worked for had a sky box. Went a lot and got to see Ripken break the record for consecutive games. Probably my greatest baseball memeory.

Oakland Colliseum day game and it was under construction at the time so it didn't look too pretty but the food was good.

Jacobs Field another great place to watch a game. A lot like Camden yards.

Dolphin Stadium several times. Not a good baseball stadium but a great football stadium.

This summer the new Busch stadium in St. Louis, great stadium.

I also went to Bank One Ballpark in Arizona. Didn't see a game but got a nice tour of the park. Retractable roof is really cool.

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Went a lot and got to see Ripken break the record for consecutive games.

That is definately a great baseball memory! Cal Ripken, Jr. is my all time favorite player!

My Son and husband got to see Ripkin's very last game at Camden Yards. Bet it's one game they'll never forget. Sharp shooters poised on top of stadium and Bill Clinton was there to boot. Right after 9/11 if you remember when he retired.

Would love to get him down to Turner Field to see his forever favorites the Braves.

Have had some really good seats at the Phillies stadium and got to watch son play there 3 years in a row at the old stadium for the Carpenter Cup.

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My Son and husband got to see Ripkin's very last game at Camden Yards. Bet it's one game they'll never forget. Sharp shooters poised on top of stadium and Bill Clinton was there to boot. Right after 9/11 if you remember when he retired.

Pabbmom....I was just going to post the EXACT SAME thing! We were there too, and it definetly is THE most memorable professional game for me. I still remember the flashes of all the lightbulbs made the stadium look like a white out! And holding up those orange "Thanks Cal" posters every time he came up to bat. I have ALL the memorabilia from that game mounted into one giant frame. The next day's sports page with his picture and story, all of our tickets to the game, the program, the "Thanks Cal" poster, and a set of commemorative pins from the game. What an experience that night was....sharp shooters and all!

Okay...another cool memory I thought of to add to the Cal Ripken one.....We were in St. Louis for a tournament the summer that Mark McGwire was on his home run record breaking quest. We were at the game where he hit his homerun prior to tieing the record at St. Louis's old stadium, and at Ozzie Smith's restaurant, with Ozzie in the house, the night he tied the record. What an experience THAT was!

I love the Dragon's stadium it's new, but the staff is so gosh darn friendly!. Have had season tickets since the first year, upper deck right behind home plate. My Dad laughs at me because with my son's summer baseball schedule I give almost every darn one away. I say I have to have a plan B for my baseball fix!

Going to Wrigley Field to catch a Cubs game next Sunday. I can't wait to see and experiance a game there

I said earlier that Great American Ballpark is rather generic. However, would have loved to be there tonight. Beat the Cards with a 2 run HR in bottom of ninth - great game!!!

Luvbb and PAbbmom - I believe your alls story wins the prize. What a memorable game for several reasons!!! Luvbb - I would love to see all of those momentos you have framed one day! What a great idea!!!!

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Originally posted by lafmom:
Luvbb and PAbbmom - I believe your alls story wins the prize.

OHHHHHHHHHHH......so this was another one of your secret contests?

LOL Beez!!!

You have to admit that an experience like Luvbb and PAbbmom's is one that deserves applause! Cal Ripken, secret service, and the emotion that we were all feeling after 9/11 would make for a very memorable day!

I think Luvbb is off on a wonderful vacation right now, but perhaps when she returns she can share a photo of that collection. I would truly like to see it! I'd even send her another bottle of Ale-8!

FINE....but this is the second time I've lost; first "Rookie of the Year", now this. Darn you Lafmom!!!!

I knew I should've made up some over-the-top experience, but noooOOOOoooo....I kept it sweet and simple while Luv and PAbb got the "sentimental" votes. Sheesh. I'm surprised one of them didn't actually have some random chance encounter with Clinton or Ripken that day. Apparently the next time, oh and there WILL be a next time ladies, I need to get a weeeeee bit more creative! You haven't heard the last of me.

Geezie Beezie,

Quit your whining

I didn't bother to mention that Ripken stopped and asked me to run the lap around the stadium with him the day he broke the record. I said, "no Cal, this is your day".

Had I known this was a contest I might have included that story.

Yea, yea that's the ticket.

LOL guys! jmepop - you sound like some of my stories! I used to tell my kids that Cal sent me secret messages over the TV screen! I think I remember him sharing that he had asked you to run on the field with him!

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I'm surprised one of them didn't actually have some random chance encounter with Clinton

Hmmmmmm....isn't that something like what got Clinton into trouble in the first place?!?!?!?

Geesh...flying to Barcelona tomorrow with the family, figures that today was the day that all heck broke loose at the airports. Have to go repack and take out all my liquids and gels from my carry-ons now. Been watching CNN alot today and it looks like havoc. Oh well....thank goodness the Brits put a stop to those terrorists when they did. I don't mind standing in a security line a few hours if it means a safe trip.

Lafmom....thanks for the "prize"...I'll be expecting my bottle of Ale-8 in the mail upon my return!